Editorials

Township Announces Firefighter Layoffs

“A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”
–Sir Winston Churchill

Robbinsville Township Business Administrator Mary Caffrey announced on February 22, 2008 that two Robbinsville Township firefighters would be laid off effective March 23, 2008.  Firefighters Jason Belmont and Ed Hirshman were told to clear out their lockers immediately and vacate the fire station.  They will be paid their full salary until March 23rd even though they will not be required to report for duty.  In the mean time, the Fire Division will use firefighters on overtime or part time employees to fill vacancies.

The layoffs were ordered by Mayor Dave Fried, “for reasons of economy.”  In a move that can only be described as despicable, it is clear that these layoffs were intended to intimidate the firefighters’ union as we prepare to enter the mediation phase of contract arbitration.  The IAFF is responsible for negotiating terms and conditions of employment such as salaries, benefits and working hours.  When contract negotiations reach an impasse, it is often necessary to utilize the services of an objective, neutral third party to facilitate the process.  The firefighters have attempted to work out an amicable agreement with the Township since December of 2006 to no avail.  As a result, the firefighters have exercised their legal right to file for contract arbitration.  The IAFF firmly believes that the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission will provide the firefighters, the Township and the taxpayers with the most reasonable and fair final determination in this matter.

Unfortunately for Dave Fried, it has become clear that the firefighters are well positioned for a large settlement in arbitration.  This is due in no small part to the fact that on January 1, 2007 Washington Township’s firefighters were forced to swallow a pay cut from the mayor in order to keep their jobs.  The Mayor bragged in the newspaper that he had awarded all firefighters a “10% pay raise.”  What he failed to mention was that he violated the union’s basic rights under New Jersey’s Employer/Employee Relations Act by changing the work schedule from 42 hours per week to 56 hours per week without negotiating with the bargaining unit (the IAFF).  This so called “10% raise” effectively amounted to a massive pay cut since firefighters were now being forced to work 33% more hours.  Firefighters were forced under duress to sign papers stating that they agreed to work the new schedule or they would lose their jobs.  Most firefighters faced 13% pay cuts, loss of benefits and many other changes to terms and conditions of employment that are mandatorily negotiable by law under coercion from the Township.  Ironically, the Township had complained that the old work schedule was too lax and that most firefighters simply used their days off to moonlight at side jobs.  Now, with the pay cuts and loss of benefits the Township has effectively forced the firefighters to seek part time work.

The Township has repeatedly rebuked the IAFF’s attempts at an amicable solution to issues that have arisen since January of 2007.  The Township has continually harassed union members by taking away privileges, initiating frivolous disciplinary charges, making multiple abrupt schedule changes, and altering terms and conditions of employment without negotiating. 

Now, these layoffs serve as nothing more than the next chapter in the longstanding harassment of the firefighter’s union that has gone unchecked since the Township’s takeover of the fire district in January of 2007.  This includes the illegal termination of Fire Captain Dave Horsnall that was overturned by the Superior Court in the summer of 2007, as well as the loss of numerous other basic rights and privileges generally afforded to most professional firefighters. 

The IAFF certainly questions why, if the Mayor continues to brag about how the Township is in such good financial condition with a record surplus that he finds it necessary to lay off firefighters due to “reasons of economy.”  Furthermore, if the economic situation in the Township is so dire that layoffs and cut backs are necessary, why hasn’t any other Township department been forced to lay off employees?  In fact, the Township recently created a new $42,000 per year position for an executive assistant to the Mayor.  That, coupled with the recent resignation of the Township’s Economic Development Coordinator and the numerous frivolous expenditures in the Township’s 2008 budget certainly begs the question of how could the Township possibly not be able to afford to retain vital members of the Fire Division?

In 2007, the Fire Division responded to an all time record number of Fire and EMS emergency calls.  We are also one of the only career departments in the county that provides a dual service of firefighting and emergency medical service.  Yet, in one of the fastest growing townships and one of the continual record setting busiest fire departments in the county Dave Fried and Mary Caffrey continue to cut staff and decrease the quality and efficiency of the fire and emergency medical service in Robbinsville Township.  Mayor Fried and Mary Caffrey have a well known track record of harassment and intimidation of the firefighters union that speaks for itself.  Sources inside the administration tell the firefighters’ union that as many as three more firefighters may be on the chopping block. 

The grossly understaffed fire department in Robbinsville is nothing short of dangerous.  It is merely a matter of time before a firefighter or civilian is killed or seriously injured as a result of the Administration’s deplorable staffing cutbacks.  Understaffed fire engines now respond on a daily basis with overworked fatigued firefighters on board as our department struggles to cope with these staffing cutbacks.

Dave Fried and Mary Caffrey have done nothing but lie and present false facts to our residents.  Superior Court Judge Linda Feinberg in her ruling of the Horsnall lawsuit even noted that Mayor Dave Fried made “misrepresentations” under oath to the Local Finance Board.  Dave Fried and Mary Caffrey will continue to lie to you in hopes that they will ultimately prevail.  The firefighters, however, are not yet ready to let Dave Fried write his version of this chapter in our history.

Firefighters across our great nation come to work every day knowing that we may have to risk our lives in order to save the life of a stranger.  Rest assured, despite the Township’s intimidation tactics we will continue to serve our residents unflinchingly, without hesitation and with extreme courage.  Firefighters make a career of overcoming adversity and extreme suffering.  IAFF Local 3786 will continue to provide top quality service with the same pride and professionalism that our residents have come to expect.  Our members go into burning buildings, rescue people from mangled car wrecks and face human tragedy on a daily basis.  Does Dave Fried really think he can intimidate us? If Dave Fried thinks these layoffs will deter us he is wrong.  These unjustified and indefensible layoffs have given our members new strength and resolve.  The IAFF looks forward to our vilification.